Loving Her
by Seersucker1
Summary: But now, at this moment, she knew without a doubt that her boyfriend, Harry Potter, was inconveniently and irrevocably in love with Hermione Granger.
1. Chapter 1

This story was actually inspired by a wonderful fan fiction that I read many years ago called "Homes, Places We've Grown" by WhenLighteningStrikes. It's a beautiful one-shot that I highly recommend. It's told from Ginny's point of view as she realizes that Harry and Hermione love each other. I've echoed that idea here.

Disclaimer: Of course I am not profiting from this.

About this story: This story starts up about nine months after the final battle.

 **Loving Her- Prologue**

Looking back now, she should have seen it all a lot sooner than she did. Ginny was a smart witch, but her heart had always gotten in the way of her brains. She knew, eyes fogged with infatuation, she must have missed thousands of glances and touches. But now, at this moment, she knew without a doubt that her boyfriend, Harry Potter, was inconveniently and irrevocably in love with Hermione Granger.

 _ **March**_

Ginny apparated into Harry's apartment, only to find herself suddenly in the middle of an already unfolding scene. She was surprised to find Harry sitting on the floor with his arms around a crying Hermione. Ginny took a moment to process the scene before she rushed to Hermione's other side.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" She asked, her eyes connecting with Harry's in concern. "Harry, is she okay?" Hermione was already wiping her eyes and covering her face, trying to pull away from Harry.

"I'm sorry Ginny, I didn't know you were coming here, I just didn't know where else to go." She said with a sniffle. She paused, looking off into the distance, pursed her lips, and then burst into tears again. Harry gently cradled her head back into his chest, his hands softly touching her back.

"Could you get her some water, Gin?" He asked softly. Ginny nodded silently, standing up and walking to the kitchen. She took out a glass from the cabinet and took in a deep breath. She had no idea what was wrong with Hermione. She assumed it was something to do with the war- some unknown aftermath that still seemed to rock through the core of trio. It had been nearly a year since the final battle and Harry still woke up in a sweat a few nights a week. She had to give them credit though, they had all tried their best to move on after the end of the war.

Hermione was the first to try to return to normalcy. Everyone was surprised when she didn't return for a final year at Hogwarts. Instead, Ginny had ran into her at Hogwarts on a chilly October day while Hermione was on her way out after taking a seventh year equivalency exam. Hermione had then quietly applied to and accepted a position at St. Mungo's in medical research.

Ron was next to begin moving on. He took his equivalency exam in January, and landed a position with the Chudley Cannons that February. "I didn't even need this stupid thing." Ron had told Hermione the day he accepted the goalkeeper position, motioning to the diploma on the wall. Hermione had given him a pointed look that turned into a shared smile between the two.

Something had shifted between Hermione and Ron after the war. There was hardly as much bickering, but they also hadn't gotten together like everyone assumed they would. Ginny had ventured to ask Harry about the whole thing once and he had simply replied, "How am I to understand the complete inner workings of those two?"

Harry took the longest to return to some variation of normalcy. For a while, he had retreated further into himself. When Ginny returned to Hogwarts in September, she and Harry had hardly spoken. But the night before she left, he had come to visit her, and apologized for his behavior. "I'm still just trying to get back to feeling like myself," he had said, looking down at his empty hands. "Well, when you do, I'll be there for you." She had said, clasping his hands and kissing him softly. She didn't hear anything from him until November, but since then, they had been rebuilding their relationship brick by brick.

Ginny came back from the kitchen with the glass of water and was surprised to see Hermione looking mostly composed with a small, watery smile on her face. She handed it silently to Hermione who smiled a thanks and took a big gulp.

"You shouldn't have gone alone. I could have helped you," Harry chastised. Hermione gave him a sidelong glance and took a deep breath.

"I appreciate the offer but I didn't want to involve you." Ginny wanted desperately to ask what was going on, but she had learned long ago that probing into the issues of the trio usually just got her further pushed out of the conversation. Hermione, however, took mercy on Ginny's curiosity.

"My parents," she said, turning to Ginny, "when I obliviated their memories, I knew there was a chance that I wouldn't be able to restore them. It's looking more and more like that's the case. I've been trying to restore their minds a little at a time, but it's proving to be difficult and I think that if I continue, I could truly hurt them. So I have to stop trying." She said cutting the sentence short in an attempt not to start crying again.

"But Hermione, there's got to be something." Harry said with an impassioned voice that Ginny hardly ever heard. "There's got to be some other way." Hermione laughed.

"Come on, Harry. You of all people ought to know that what I'm doing is borderline illegal. I'm lucky you don't arrest me now." Harry smiled and rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky I'm off duty." He said shoving his shoulder with her own.

"I thought an auror's job was a 24/7 type of gig?" Hermione asked with a smile. They shared a look that made Ginny uncomfortable. She broke the silence.

"I'm so sorry to hear about that, Hermione. Is there anything I can do?" Hermione tightly smiled a thanks.

"No, I'll go back and research some more, but it's not looking promising." She said, her smile turning to a grimace.

"Well, at least stay for dinner. We could order in."

"I'll even order from the Indian place you love that makes my apartment smell funny for a week," Harry added. Hermione looked between Ginny and Harry before shaking her head.

"As tempting as you make that sound, I'm just going to go home. I'm exhausted from the trip anyway." She got up off the couch and Harry rose with her to walk her to the door.

"Really it wouldn't be any trouble. Eat. Stay." Ginny could hear Harry coaxing Hermione as they walked nearly out of ear shot toward the door. "Let me be there for you." She heard him say softly. There was a pause from Hermione.

"I really should get going." More silence.

"Hey," Harry said softly and Ginny strained to hear the rest, "it won't feel so bad in the morning, yeah? One day at a time, just like you tell me." More silence, and perhaps the rustling of a hug, and then the opening and closing of a door. It was a long moment before Harry walked back into the room and Ginny suddenly felt like she was intruding.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" she asked quietly, disturbing Harry from whatever inner monologue he was writing.

"Yeah, I've never seen anything that could break Hermione." They sat in silence for a moment longer and Ginny feared asking the next question.

"Do you want to be alone?" He looked up at her and for a beat his face remained blank, then he blinked as if he were coming back to life.

"No, stay, we made plans." Ginny smiled her relief. Over the past few months it seemed like Harry was trying more and more to let her in. The memories of the war were still a wall between them, but oh so slowly, Harry was beginning to let her in.

 _ **April**_

Harry lived on the opposite side of the city from Hermione and Ron, which Ginny always found strange since they seemed to spend so much time together. Hermione's flat was close to both the hospital and the Ministry of Magic while Harry's was flung on the other side of the city, but he liked the quiet and anonymity that his location provided him. Ron, on the other hand, lived a few blocks from Hermione and loved being part of the hustle and bustle of the city. He also loved the new-found attention from his Chudley Cannons position. He had done a good job of rewriting his celebrity from being the-boy-who-lived's friend to being a sports figure. He lived in an expensive high rise while Hermione had found a quiet two-bedroom apartment on a side street lined with trees. Somehow, each of the trio's dwellings seemed to suit them perfectly.

Today Ginny was at Ron's to remind him of Bill and Fleur's baby shower next weekend.

"Mum, said you hadn't RSVPed so she wanted me to make sure you could make it." She explained as Ron toweled off the rest of his hair.

"Yeah, we have a game that Saturday night but Sunday afternoon is open. I can be there. Can you do me a big favor and pick out a gift from me though?" He said with a big smile. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"God, you need a girlfriend so she can do this stuff for you." She said while examining a picture on his mantle. It was a picture of the trio, of course, from sometime in fifth year it looked like. Her eyes landed on a smiling Hermione. "Speaking of which, do you know why Hermione can't make it?" Ron made a face.

"Didn't know she wasn't going." He said as he headed back to the bathroom to put his towel away.

"Do you think it has anything to do with her parents?" She called down the hall as he started to walk back to the living room. Ron blew out a big breath.

"Not sure, last time I brought that up with her, we ended up getting into a fight. Haven't brought them up since." Ginny nodded in understanding. She looked back at the picture. Hermione smiling in the middle of the two boys, each one looking to her and smiling.

"Do Harry and Hermione ever fight?" She asked Ron.

"Yeah," Ron said, thinking about it, "they fight. Not too often. They had a big one back in October though."

"Really? About what?" Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Hermione had just gotten her Hogwarts equivalency test back. I wasn't there, but from the sounds of it, she was pushing Harry to start trying to get back to a normal life but he wasn't ready. Things got kind of heated. They didn't talk for weeks after that."

"Really? That doesn't sound like them." Ron nodded.

"I know, it was weird being the one in the middle for once. I'll tell you though, as much as Harry might deny it, after that fight is when he started to get his act back together. By November he started interviewing with the Ministry, and made an effort to go out and see friends again." Ron headed to the kitchen and began opening cabinets. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"No thanks, I'm heading to Hermione's now. Want to come?" Ron paused and then shook his head.

"I'm heading out with some of the guys on the team. Where's Harry by the way? I tried to invite him."

"He's in Ireland on business and won't be back for a few days." Ron nodded.

"Oh yeah, I think I knew that."

Ginny said her goodbyes and then walked the couple of blocks to Hermione's. She knew that Hermione didn't like visitors apparating into her flat, even with all the safety wards. _Muggles_ Ginny thought with a wry smile as she pressed the buzzer for the 3F.

After being buzzed in and climbing the flights of stairs she was greeted by a smiling Hermione at the door.

"Ginny! It's good to see you! What brings you to the neighborhood?"

"Just making sure Ron shows up for the shower on Sunday, you know how he is with dates and times and pretty much anything." Hermione laughed and closed the door behind Ginny.

"That I do. I'll try to remind him too."

"Thanks. You're not able to make it, are you?" Hermione hesitated for a moment then shook her head.

"No I have to work on Sunday unfortunately."

"I'm sure someone could cover for you or something." Hermione shook her head.

"No, I asked and no one could. I've already sent along a gift though." Of course Hermione had. "Do you want anything to drink?" Ginny shook her head.

"I could use the loo though."

"End of the hall on the left." Then Hermione waved her hand embarrassed. "You know where it is." She said with a laugh at herself. Ginny couldn't help but notice Hermione was acting a little strange.

Once she had gone to the bathroom she took her time peeking into the rooms along the hall. Sure, she had been to Hermione's apartment, but only a handful of times. She knew the door at the end of the hallway led to Hermione's room, while the one across from the washroom was the laundry room. Next to that was Hermione's guest bedroom. Ginny peeked her head in, the sight of a gray sweatshirt thrown over the back of a desk chair catching her eye. It was Harry's. She walked into the room and looked around. It was a standard guest bedroom with painted white wood furniture and big sunny windows. Opening the top drawer of the dresser, she found a toothbrush and razor. She wanted to be surprised, but she wasn't.

She turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway, looking at her hesitantly.

"It's Harry's stuff," she explained, obviously deciding honesty was the best policy. "Once in a blue moon when he's working a crazy case he'll crash here." Ginny nodded slowly, trying to be neutral about how she felt.

"That makes sense." She said quietly, closing the drawer.

"It's really just a convenience thing. Usually I'm not even here when he is." Ginny nodded, picking the hoodie off of the chair.

"You can give that back to him. He left it a while ago, and I know it's one of his favorites." Ginny could tell Hermione was feeling anxious and for one reason or another, Ginny felt the need to assuage her guilt.

"Oh, yeah, he's been looking for it," she lied. "He must have forgotten he left it here. I'll bring it back." There was a beat of silence.

"Did you want to stay for tea?" Ginny shook her head.

"No, I ought to be going." She said, making her way out of the room and toward the door.

"Okay, Gin. Do you want to set up a lunch sometime next week? It's been so long since we've hung out just the two of us." Ginny nodded, hand on the doorknob.

"Sure, you pick the time and place and I'll be there." Once outside Hermione's she inhaled the sweatshirt, which still smelled like Harry, and then apparated back home to the burrow.

Reviews are always welcome! I've actually written other stories before but that was a few years ago and I have since lost the info for that account. If you're interested my other two stories are under the username Seersucker.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi all. Here is the next chapter. To answer one of your questions, yes Ginny returned to Hogwarts, her being able to be off campus on the weekends is the one suspension of disbelief I ask of you** **. Let's say that Hogwarts changed up some rules for the year directly after the war. Also, just to be very clear, at no point in this story is Harry cheating on Ginny with Hermione. Finally, there will be one more chapter posted to this story before it is compete. Reviews are welcome and appreciated!**

 **May**

Ginny found the trio congregated in a hallway just past the main entrance hall to Hogwarts. They were standing in a small circle, talking quietly. Ginny was about to make her presence known and tell them they had five minutes until the ceremony started, but Harry spoke up first.

"This is ridiculous," he said bitterly, "Every year they're just going to parade us around and call it a war memorial?"

"Remembrance services have been proven to help communities heal over time." Hermione chimed in. Ron rolled his eyes.

"It's just a way for a bunch of dignitaries to get their photos and show people that they _care_." Harry spit out. "But what did they do when Umbridge was lording over Hogwarts? Where were they when Voldemort was taking over the Ministry? They're all a bunch of fair-weather fans if you ask me." Hermione crossed her arms exasperatedly and Harry seemed to let up just a bit. "I'm sorry, it's just a hard day… for all of us."

"Look," Hermione started, all business, "we just have to get through the next hour and-"

"It's an hour!?" Ron asked startled, cutting her off. She gave him a pointed stare.

" _Yes_ , Ron. Did you not read the letter I sent you?" Ron looked between the two of them; Harry was just about to crack a smile.

"I thought this was like a stand up and wave when they call our names kind of thing." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well then I've got to use the loo. No chance I'm making it an hour otherwise." Ron said, hustling down the hall. Hermione let out a big breath and leaned her back against the side of the wall. She and Harry stood in silence for a moment. Ginny was about to speak up once more, but then Harry put his hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"How are you doing?" He asked softly. She noncommittally shrugged.

"About the same as you I suppose. You know I don't want to be here any more than you do." Harry leaned against the wall next to her.

"I know. I think we're all on edge today. After this, how about we all grab a drink? I think we could all use one." Hermione rubbed her hands across her face.

"I'm supposed to go back to the hospital after this."

"Ditch it." Harry said and Hermione gave him a sly sideways smile.

"Of course you want me to ditch," she said, "Do you know how many rules I've broken for you over the years?"

"I have an estimate."

"I have an exact number," Hermione said perking up, "three hundred and fifty-seven. Three fifty-eight if you count me punching Malfoy as being rolled into something I did for you." Harry tilted his head and smiled.

"I'm pretty sure that particular incidence of rule breaking was in self service." Hermione broke into a big grin.

"It did feel pretty great." They stood in a comfortable silence.

"Do you regret not coming back for a seventh year?" Harry asked suddenly. Hermione thought about it for a second but then shook her head.

"No, there're just too many memories. Too many good memories, too many bad memories. After all we've been through, it felt like it would have been taking a step back. You know?" Harry nodded.

"Yeah, I know." They each looked down the hallway, waiting for Ron to emerge.

"He's going to make us late," Hermione said with a tinge of annoyance, "as always."

"Come out with us after this. Just the three of us. We don't hang out nearly enough." Hermione looked hesitant. "Please, for me?" Hermione looked him thoughtfully in the eyes.

"For you." And smiles broke across both their faces.

Just then, a witch brushed past Ginny toward the duo.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, it's time."

"Ugh, Ron!" Hermione threw out a tense call down the hall. Ron swung around the corner, robes billowing behind him.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" And suddenly, hustling down the hallway together, they were the golden trio again. The three who defeated Voldemort. They looked determined. They looked heroic. They looked untouchable. Funny how they could switch so easily from people to idols.

 **June**

Ginny awoke in the middle of the night and was surprised to find that Harry wasn't asleep next to her. Assuming he must have had a bad dream and gotten up, she tiptoed out of the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen, but paused when she heard voices.

"I don't know Hermione, it doesn't sound safe. I don't like the thought of you traveling alone. To Bulgaria no less; there are still large factions of death eaters out there."

"Yeah, and you and Ron are much larger targets than I am." Harry crossed his arms "I have to go, there might be something there that can help my parents remember." The two of them were talking quietly in the darkened living room. How had Hermione gotten in? And why was she here in the middle of the night?

"Hermione…" Harry said with hesitation in his voice.

"I already requested access to the library, but only Ministry officials can be granted access. I just need you to write a letter on my behalf." Her voice was insistent. This was the Hermione who had helped them hunt down horcruxes and win the war. This Hermione was not to be messed with. Harry was silent. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily.

"I could get in a lot of trouble for doing it."

"I know."

"Not to mention that this could get you hurt…or killed."

"Or worse, _expelled_." She said with a smile and somehow that broke the tension. He put his glasses back on.

"At least let me come with you." She shook her head defiantly.

"No, I'm going by myself."

"I can't let you do that. What if something happens?"

"I'm a smart witch Harry, I can handle myself very well on my own, thank you." She said with a bristle. "Anyway, if you went it would just make us more of a target, and you have work, and Ginny to think about." Harry sighed.

"How long will you be gone?" She shrugged.

"I don't know, it's a big library with a terribly outdated coding system apparently. It could be days; it could be weeks. But I have to act fast. Everyday my parents go further into their new life makes it doubly hard for them to ever possibly come back." Hermione sniffed and Ginny was certain she was crying. Harry's arms were around her in an instant, cradling her head to his shoulder. Ginny strained to hear the next thing Harry said.

"I'll write the letter. Tomorrow. I promise." Hermione's form slumped further into his with relief. "But for now, you need to rest, especially if you're making this trip in the next few days. Stay here tonight. In the guest room. I don't want you to splinch yourself on the way home." Hermione pulled back from him.

"No, I can't. I can make it home fine."

"Don't be silly, Hermione, stay."

"Ginny's here…" she trailed off.

"So what? She'll understand." But Hermione was already breaking free from Harry's gravitational pull.

"No, it would be weird. I don't want her thinking anything. It looks bad enough, me coming to you in the middle of the night. Being such a mess!" She said with a quiet hand gesture to her whole body. "I don't want to give her any cause for concern. You two are doing really well. I don't want to get in the way of that." Ginny wondered if Harry would say anything. She wondered if he would ask Hermione once more to stay, or if he would agree with her that he and Ginny were happy. Instead he stayed silent. Hermione kissed his cheek and took a few steps away from him.

"Thank you, Harry." She said with a quiet gratitude that even melted a bit of Ginny's heart. Then there was a soft pop, and she was gone. Harry stood there, bringing his hand to his cheek in thought.

Ginny crept back to bed, expecting Harry to return at any moment, but as she lay awake, feigning sleep, she found herself drifting off before he ever came back to bed.

 **July**

Hermione had been gone for a little over two weeks and as much as Ginny wanted to imagine it was all in her head, she had noticed that Harry wasn't quite himself. He seemed restless and anxious all of the time. All week he had avoided her owls to grab dinner or meet up. So she took a risk and showed up at his flat on Friday, unannounced. When she got there, he was bouncing a ball against the wall and listening to the wireless. He turned around to look at her and gave her a smile before turning back to the wall and tossing the ball against it.

"I bet your neighbors love you." She said setting down her bag and taking a seat in the armchair adjacent to his spot on the couch.

"Silencing charms are very helpful in these situations." He said with an impish grin. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"You haven't been answering any of my owls." He stopped bouncing the ball and turned to look at her fully.

"I know, I'm sorry. Work has been really crazy this week. It's just been wake up, work, eat, work, sleep, repeat." Ginny was silent for a moment.

"Well, it looks like you have time now, do you want to do something tonight?" Harry didn't answer her for a long pause and she realized he was listening to some breaking news on the wireless. Something about an attack in Manchester.

"I'm sorry, Gin, what were you saying?" Ginny shot a dirty look at the wireless before repeating her question.

"Do you want to do something tonight?"

"I don't think so," Harry said shaking his head, "I'm pretty tired from the week, and there are still files that I need to go through. Can we take a rain check?" Something inside Ginny was breaking. She could feel tiny little cracks in their relationship growing bigger. She pulled his gray sweatshirt out of her bag and tossed it to him.

"How'd you…I'd been looking for this." Harry said with a tinge of guilt.

"Hermione wanted me to give it to you. You left it at her house." Harry stared at her for a moment, a bit like a deer in headlights. A thick silence laid over them and for once, Ginny didn't try to fill it with platitudes. Harry took a breath.

"Sometimes I stay over there when work is really crazy. It's closer than my apartment, and safer than trying to apparate home."

"I know, Hermione told me," she said, feeling strange about the whole situation. "Have you been there since she left?" She could have sworn she saw him blush.

"Just one or two nights, since I've been so busy." She didn't believe him. Suddenly, Ginny could see it all so clearly in her mind. She could picture Harry wandering around Hermione's flat and sleeping in the guest room each night, in some small attempt to stay close to her while she was away.

"You miss her," she said quietly, and Harry looked at her confused.

"I'm worried about her." He clarified, his strained words slicing through her heart. She could feel tears springing to her eyes. Looking back now, she should have seen it all a lot sooner than she did. Ginny was a smart witch, but her heart had always gotten in the way of her brains. She knew, eyes fogged with infatuation, she must have missed thousands of glances and touches. But now, at this moment, she knew without a doubt that her boyfriend, Harry Potter, was inconveniently and irrevocably in love with Hermione Granger.

She should have known, should have figured this out sooner, but she hadn't wanted to. She had wanted to pretend that everything was back to normal after the war. She wanted to pretend that he was still the boy in sixth year that pined after her. That she could still have that life that she dreamed about as a little girl. But it was at this moment that she realized, that fairytale was never meant to come true.

"You love her." She said, quietly, brokenly. Harry cocked his head to the side, thoroughly confused.

"Hermione? I don't…She's like…She's my best friend. You have nothing to worry about Ginny." He got up and traveled the distance to her and held just above her elbows, searching her eyes. A silent tear slipped down Ginny's face.

"I should have seen it sooner. I just didn't want to. How did I not see it sooner?" She said more so to herself than to anyone else. Harry grabbed tighter.

"Ginny, what are you talking about?" She shook her head and tried her best not to cry, from somewhere deep inside, a small voice told her that she knew this would happen all along.

"You _love_ her you dolt. And it's so painfully obvious to me now that I'm ashamed it took me so long to figure out. You eat, sleep, and breathe for her. You. Love. Her." Ginny sniffed, "And I'm pretty sure she loves you too," she said quietly, trying to calm herself down. She almost smiled at the shocked expression on Harry's face, but he remained silent. "Harry, you're a good guy, and you _tried,_ really you did try, to let me in, but you've always been in love with her, and there's just not room for two." She pulled away from Harry's grasp and picked up her bag, "I can't do this anymore." She said, shocking herself.

"Ginny-"

"What Harry? Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you love me. Tell me if you had to choose one of us, you would choose me. Tell me, you haven't been obsessing about where she is and if she's okay. Tell me you're not listening to that damned wireless just on the off chance that something happens and you need to go make sure she's okay. Tell me you don't love her." Harry stood there stunned. Ginny threw up her hands.

"I can't do this anymore. We both deserve to be happy, and if that's not with each other, then we have to end this. I can't be your second choice." She took a deep breath and stood there before him, laid bare. It took Harry a moment to realize she was waiting for him to say something.

"I don't know what to say. I wanted us to be happy…I just…can't." Harry said quietly, still shaken. The words seemed to slip through his tongue. "You deserve to be happy, Ginny." she smiled sadly and touched his cheek.

"And so do you." And then she apparated away.


	3. Chapter 3

Hi all, here is the final installment to the story. Enjoy!

 _ **August**_

Ginny thought getting over Harry would take her months, maybe even years, but as she waited over the next few weeks for the crushing feeling of the breakup to hit her, she slowly started to realize that it might not be coming. She could think back to the past couple of months and remind herself of how neurotic she felt being in a relationship with him, always worried if he would push her away or shut her out. She had been trying too hard to focus on the tiny moments of happiness in their relationship that she completely glazed over all of the times she felt lonely or nervous. As much as she wanted to blame Harry, and really it was his fault, she found it hard to wish ill for him. He'd been through so much his whole life, and it was hardly his fault that he was in love with someone else.

Her mum was the first person she told, and Ginny was honest with her, and divulged that she believed Harry was in love with Hermione. Instead of shock or disbelief in her mum's eyes, she saw a flicker of understanding, and Ginny knew she had made the right choice in breaking things off.

She started going out with her friends more, slowly telling each of them of the break-up, and leaning on them for support when she missed Harry. They went out drinking and dancing and she began to relish the feeling of being young and unattached.

She tried to ignore the tabloids, which blasted the break-up across front pages. Every once in a while she would glimpse a picture of herself at a happy hour with her friends with a headline questioning if she was partying too hard. Pictures of Harry were harder to find, since he usually kept to himself anyway. There would just be a grainy photo here or there of him walking to work, and the tabloids trying to spin it saying he was "forlorn" and "heartbroken."

Hermione had reached out to Ginny a few times since the break-up but Ginny hadn't responded. She wasn't sure how much Harry had or hadn't told her, and she didn't know what to say to Hermione anyway. She wanted to hate Hermione in a way, and she did just a bit. But somewhere deep inside, she knew that Hermione's intentions had always been honest. Hermione was not a boyfriend stealer, or a "scarlet woman."

On a lazy Saturday afternoon at the Burrow she learned from Ron that Hermione hadn't been able to find what she was looking for in Bulgaria and had given up on restoring her parents' memories once and for all. Ginny asked how she was doing and Ron hesitated for a moment.

"She's doing okay," he said cautiously.

"Is Harry helping her through it?" Ginny asked, kicking herself for needing to know.

Ron nodded, "Yeah, in a way, he's the best one to talk her through this, since he lost his parents and…" Ron stopped.

"And because he loves her." Ginny finished for him. Ron bit the inside of his cheek. "How long have you known?" She asked him. Ron looked apprehensive to share and Ginny reassured him, "I'm not going to get mad." Ron sat back in his chair and took a swig of beer.

"When we were hunting horcruxes, I was under a magical influence and I accused them of it. They both denied it, said it was the bad magic, but even once I wasn't under the influence any more, even once everything was over, I knew."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ron shrugged.

"Same reason I still thought I maybe had a chance with Hermione," he said, swirling the beer in the bottle absentmindedly, "…hope." The two sat in silence for a minute.

"Are you mad at them?" Ginny asked, suddenly realizing how much Ron's and her situation were the same.

"You know, I thought I would be, but they don't know that they're in love with each other, and so, it's hard to be mad at them, when they're too blind to realize what they're doing. And it makes sense, in a way. Especially now, Hermione's got all this love to give and no one to give it, and Harry… he deserves to be happy." Ginny nodded.

"I told Harry that he loves Hermione." Ron looked surprised for a moment.

"Well, good for you. Someone had to," he said with a sip of his beer.

 _ **September**_

The first time she saw Harry in person was at one of Ron's games. She was there with her friends in the biggest cheering section and as she looked across the quidditch pitch she saw him in a box with Hermione. Hermione must have been telling him a story, her eyes big and her hand gestures larger than normal. Even from afar Ginny could see that Harry was captivated by the story, or rather, the storyteller. Hermione got to the punchline and they shared a hearty laugh. Ginny ignored the strange flop in her stomach as she watched the two together for another moment. It was so painfully obvious to her now that she felt embarrassed she had ever thought that she and Harry were meant to be. When the Cannons won the game with a death-defying catch from the seeker, the stands went wild and Harry picked Hermione off her feet and spun her around in excitement. Ginny turned away, not sure if she wanted to see what else happened.

The second time she saw them was in a bookstore. She was browsing the shelves when she heard Hermione's voice ring through the aisles.

"I'm not sure which one to get though, they both sound fascinating." Ginny peeked around the corner to see Hermione standing with two large volumes in her hands and Harry standing next to her.

"Get both." Hermione flipped to the back cover of each and made a face.

"No, it's much too expensive for both." She held them for another moment, contemplating which one to get when Harry snatched them out of her hands and headed to the register.

"I'm getting you both." Hermione followed.

"No, Harry, it's fine. I don't need both." He was already handing money to the witch at the counter.

"But I want you to have both." The witch handed him the bag of books and Hermione went to grab it from his hand but he held onto the bag and her hand. "I can carry them." He said as they began to walk out the store, hand in hand and bag.

"Always the hero." She heard Hermione say sarcastically just as they walked out the door to the store.

The third time she saw Harry was when he came to see her. Ginny was surprised when he showed up on the doorstep of her new apartment one day. She welcomed him in and showed him around the small one bedroom. They chatted briefly, both knowing the conversation that was about to happen.

"Ginny…" he started, clearing his throat.

"You told her." He looked briefly shocked before nodding his head. "You told her you love her. And she loves you too?" He nodded his head again, and she could see him trying to bite back his smile. She expected to feel angry or jealous, but instead a strange kind of hollow settled into her stomach.

"Good. I'm happy for your two." She said, trying to make her emotions match the words.

"I wanted to tell you first. I didn't want you to find out through the tabloids, not that we're trying to go public with it. I just…thought you should hear it from me." Ginny smiled.

"I appreciate that." Silence passed between them before Ginny took a deep breath. "Harry, I had expected to be so much angrier and heartbroken after we broke up, but I wasn't. I was sad, but I'm okay now. And I want things to be okay with us. All of us. Let Hermione know, that I just didn't know what to say to her for a while, but I'd really like it if we could go back to being friends. And I think it's still gonna take me a little bit, but I just wanted to get it out there that one day, things will be okay between us all." Harry smiled.

"That's really good to hear. I don't have many people in my life, but the ones I do have make me feel like life is worth living. You're one of those people, and I can never repay what you did for me. All the times you were there for me. "

"We're family, Harry. You, me, Ron, Hermione…if this war taught all of us anything, it's that we need to keep each other close. We're gonna be okay." Harry nodded.

"Good." They shared a hug which felt like one between a brother and sister. It was strange, but Ginny was beginning to realize it would be the new normal.

 _ **December**_

Harry and Hermione had just finished up tidying the kitchen from the big Christmas Eve dinner at the Burrow.

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Mrs. Weasley asked them once more.

"No, we're headed to Godric's Hollow tonight. I want to visit my parents grave." Mrs. Weasley smiled.

"Okay dears, well, take some cookies." Hermione took the large container from Mrs. Weasley and shrank it before putting it in her purse.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley, for everything. Dinner was lovely as always." Hermione said, pulling Mrs. Weasley into a tight hug.

"Thank you dear, I'm always happy to have you. Travel safe." She kissed Harry on both cheeks, pinched Hermione's and then turned off most of the downstairs lights and headed upstairs. Ginny was certain that they didn't know she was the last one left in the living room, now cast in shadows. Everyone else had gone upstairs.

Harry helped Hermione into her coat, pulling the lapels close together in the front and smiling at her.

"Thank you for agreeing to come with me," he said quietly. Hermione smiled brightly.

"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way. Do you have the portkey?" Harry pulled a figure out of his coat pocket and presented it to her. "An otter?" she asked with a smile.

"I've really been loving otters lately." She smirked.

"Is that so? Interestingly enough, I've been working up a soft spot for stags." They smiled at their shared secrets and Harry leaned in, capturing her lips with his. When they pulled away, Harry looked deeply into her eyes.

"I am _so_ lucky to have you in my life." She took his hand and threaded her fingers through his.

"I'm the lucky one, Harry." He kissed the back of her hand held in his.

"To new traditions." He said, raising the portkey in his hand.

"To new traditions. _Portus_." And they were gone.

 _ **-Fin-**_


End file.
